Baroque Art

The Calling of St. Matthew by Caravaggio (ca.1599)

         The baroque period features artwork that is very similar to Renaissance artwork, however it is darker in both colors and themes depicted. In various examples, such as the one above, you will see that people seem a little more distraught in the face, or the overall piece will have a feel of melancholy. It has a theme around people, not unlike the Renaissance period, but this time around I feel it revolves more around the darkness in the individual instead of the general humanism and power of people. It has an aura of mortality.

    In Baroque artwork, you will see a lot of biblical references, such as the work from Caravaggio. After the reformation, the Counsel of Trent (also known as the counter-reformation) started encouraging artwork that depicted religion as kind of a propaganda for the Catholic church. Caravaggio, himself, was actually commissioned by a Catholic cardinal. Caravaggio used a style called chiaroscuro, which uses very deep contrasts.  

    

works cited:

Pioch, Nicolas. “Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi Da.” WebMuseum Paris. BMW Foundation, 19 Sept. 2002. Web. 25 Feb. 2021.

“Art and Theory in Baroque Europe.” Art and Theory in Baroque Europe: Anti-Mannerism and the Council of Trent. Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe, 24 Oct. 1995. Web. 25 Feb. 2021.

Humanism and Renaissance Art

    Humanism is the resurgence of thinking of people as individuals who can have a personal understanding of ethics, and science without religion fully dictating the way of life and thought. The world could no longer be defined by the church. In my own understanding of the time period, it was truly when free thought was able to emerge and the common man would be able to flourish as the Greek ideals resurged through Italy. But how did this affect art?

School of Athens by Raphael 1509-1511

    The word "Renaissance" translates to the English word "Rebirth." While from a simple standpoint, it can seem like arts and literature had resurfaced after a long time of it not being as culturally prevalent, it also brought back ancient classical era schools of thought, which influenced artwork of the time. In some artworks, it is fairly obvious, such as School of Athens by Raphael. It is a fresco that incorporates linear perspective, incredible detail, and a plethora of alliteration. It features Greek Philosophers such as Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, and Ptolemy. The whole painting is slightly chaotic, however the figures in the center are calm and relaxed. On each side of the painting are statues: One of Apollo, the god of music and art, and on the other is Athena, the goddess of wisdom.

    To understand the artwork in itself, one has to understand the figures and ideas behind the people and figures. To me, it signifies an appreciation of both art and knowledge, combining the two into something that can work harmoniously. I believe that to be a successful artist, you do have to be knowledgeable in many things. In order to be the best at figures, you must have an understanding of human anatomy, and you need to know proportions, lighting, and so many other things in order to bring something so delicate to life. If I were to have an office, I would more than likely have a copy of School of Athens hanging in it, in appreciation that art and education can have with one another.

SOURCES:

 "Renaissance Humanism Definition Overview and Analysis". [Internet]. 2021. TheArtStory.org

Content compiled and written by Rebecca Seiferle

Edited and revised, with Summary and Accomplishments added by Kimberly Nichols

Available from: https://www.theartstory.org/definition/renaissance-humanism/

First published on 19 Oct 2019. Updated and modified regularly

[Accessed 15 Feb 2021]

An Analyzation of an Anxiety Portrait

Drowning by Charles Chapman

        Charles Chapman is an artist that I hold in very high regard. He is a tattoo artist who inspired me to seek a formal education in art. He is not afraid to experiment, but also keeps several educational resources on hand. Charles is frankly, in my opinion, a phenomenal artist. This is why I decided to analyze one of his traditional art pieces.

    In Charles' work, you will see that he does not rely on heavy lines for his work, especially when it comes to realism. Instead - like this piece - he relies form, value, and texture to tell a story. The vibrant use of colors, the asymmetrical break halfway down the canvas giving way to a new texture and reflection, speaks to me as someone who has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. This piece goes from smooth and almost sad looking to chaotic and disconnected. It is almost as if this woman has an alter-ego.

    The use of texture in this piece can make this piece feel as if it is a vessel for the emotions anxiety can invoke. When the canvas breaks, to me it appears as if it is cracked ice that could break at any moment. You could walk on the "ice" and you could fall through, but you will never know. In the "ice" is the reflection of the woman, however it is distorted. The reflection includes two eyes, and the rest of the face is pointing slightly downward.

    The only natural coloring in this piece is the eyes which are colored blue making the emotion she is protraying feel real and significant. The eyes do not reflect the warm tones in the piece, causing them to feel disconnected. The warmth of the reds, oranges, and yellows catch the eye while the blue and black of the hair frame the face with contrast to form a focal point.

    In my opinion, the use of these main elements convey exactly what I feel Charles was trying to - the emotion of extreme anxiety. The chaos that comes along with self doubt, paranoia, and the way things tend to not make sense in your mind when experiencing these things.

You can view Charles' other works, as well as his tattoos here.

My Introduction

 

    Hello, everyone. I am Robert Jefferson Stewart IV. I am 25 years old. I was born in Japan and lived in many places growing up, but primarily was raised in Texas. This is my second time living in Alaska, and I don't plan on leaving for a long while. I am currently in the Army at just under 8 years in. I am satisfied with my career, however I am pushing my focus into school because it's about time for me to make changes in my life and move on to something new.

    The moose image above is a digital drawing I did a few months ago. I was impressed with my own ability to do this (and no, this is not a brag, I sometimes don't know how I can pull off some drawings). Nature drawing isn't exactly my specialty, but every now and then I will move outside of my comfort zone. For that particular drawing, I did the initial sketch on paper, scanned it, and then inked and finished it on my iPad with Procreate. I am primarily a pop artist, however I will avoid posting that artwork to keep myself from facing the wrath of Blogger.com's copywright policies. 

    In 2017 and 2018, I did over 150 drawings for Topps Star Wars trading cards. It was my favorite venture to date. I have not been added onto any other sets because in 2018 and 2019-2020 I was deployed to Iraq and Syria. I have also worked on art for Vampirella and Fallout. 

    I have no real formal artistic education, but I want to be a middle or high school introductory art teacher, so I want to get as much experience and knowledge as I can. On my last deployment, at the end of the day, I would practice figure drawing with Quickposes. It is a great resource for some figure tutorials and timed drawings. It does have some adult content as many of the models are nude. If you are interested in checking it out, click here.

I am looking forward to exploring the history of art in this class, and sharing thoughts and artwork with other students. 

Thanks for reading!

Robert J. Stewart IV.